Added Value Edits: The Makers

14 Aug 2014|Added Value

Making. It’s a phenomenon. Whether it’s interior design or brewing beer in the basement, DIY has suddenly become a whole lot easier. You just Google what you want to do, watch an instructional video on YouTube, visit Pinterest for inspiration, reach out to experts via Twitter and sell your creations on Etsy. Add 3D-printing into the mix and we are seeing the emergence of a genuine DIY ecosystem. Some brands are embracing greater customization, but there’s an opportunity to do much more: supporting Makers will build both consumer engagement and customer learnings that could be used to enhance brand experiences.

Mass customization tipping point?
According to a recent Bain study, less than 10% have tried customization options, while 25% to 30% are interested in doing so. Mass customization may have finally reached that tipping point when it makes sense to offer more DIY experiences to consumers. And of course, in doing so brands can leverage the data about their customers’ usage and preferences. But you have to consider the customer journey in its entirety: from purchase to making to sharing.

DIYers = Millennials!
Not only do Millennials comprise over half of DIYers, they spend twice as many dollars on creating at home. Millennials embrace Making as a creative outlet, not as a way to save money, and it should come as no surprise that these digital natives credit technology for enabling their creative endeavors. What’s more: strong online communities are shortening the DIY process and making it easier for anyone to just give it a try.

Make your own make-up
Can’t find that right shade of eye shadow? No problem, print it up. Mink is an amazing 3D-printing concept targeted at 13 to 21-year-old women that takes the base components of make-up and allows you to create your own – any color, at a fraction of the retail cost of cosmetics. But how will consumers respond to this deconstruction of make-up magic? And how much effort are they willing to put into creating interesting shades of blush? Will a self-made lip gloss leave them as satisfied as one from a high-end brand that promises to make them beautiful? Looks like we’ll have to wait and see.

DIY Healthcare
The DIY movement might just have the biggest impact on the healthcare industry. From creating their own medical solutions to cobbling together their own healthcare management, patients are taking matters into their own hands. Healthcare will be disrupted by consumers abandoning traditional care in exchange for products and services that better meet their needs, like at-home kits to diagnose strep throats or a cost effective homemade robohand.

3D printers coming to a Home Depot near you
Many people believe 3D-printers will be used to create replacement parts, so it makes sense that hardware stores like Home Depot are among the first to carry them. The Home Depot of the future may well go from selling nuts, bolts and lighting to providing design assistance and materials to “print” a wall sconce.

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Written by Jonathan Hall, President North America Consulting, Added Value.